WE
BELIEVE
The Bible
We believe the Bible, the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments (39 Old Testament, 27 New Testament) to be the inspired, infallible and authoritative Word of God. We believe it is completely true in all that it says, and is without error as originally written. It is the revelation of His will for the salvation of all people, sufficient and authoritative for faith and life, and that there are no other writings similarly inspired by God. We believe the Bible is our compass for ministry and the beginning and end point in all our dreaming about what God desires for our community and our lives. We believe these ancient scriptures remain God’s Word to us today and as such we need to let what they say not just govern what we believe but also affect how we live.
Psalm 119:9, 105; Matt. 5:17-18; John 10:34-36; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21; 3:15-16
God
We believe in one God, who has revealed himself in the Bible, in nature, and in man’s conscience as the Creator, Lawgiver, and Judge, existing eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. By his sovereign power God continues to sustain his creation, and by his providence he orders the affairs of men and nations according to his wise, eternal plan. He is infinite in his wisdom, unchangeable in his attributes, righteous and loving in all his ways.
Deuteronomy 6:4; Matt. 28:19; John 1:1-3; 10:30; Acts 5:3-4; Eph. 1:3-14
Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is fully God, who became fully human by a miraculous conception and virgin birth. He lived a life of perfect obedience to the Father and voluntarily atoned for the sins of men and women by dying on the cross as their substitute, and rose bodily from the grave, thus satisfying divine justice and accomplishing salvation for all who trust him alone. He achieved victory over death and the powers of evil, and ascended into heaven where, as the only mediator between God and humanity, he continually intercedes for his people.
Luke 1:26-35; John 1:1-3, 14, 18; 3:16-18; 1 Cor. 15:3-5, 20-26; Phil. 2:5-11; Col. 1:15-23; Heb. 1:1-4; 1 John 2:1-2
Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. During this age, the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to convict, regenerate, indwell, guide, instruct, empower and uniquely gift the believer for godly living and service, so that the church is built up. The personal use of spiritual gifts should not cause division or confusion in the church.
John 14:15-31; 16:8-15: 1 Cor. 6:19-20; 12:4-26; Gal. 5:22-23; Eph. 5:18; Titus 3:5
Human Beings
We believe that human beings were created in the image of God to have fellowship with Him. Tempted by Satan, they rebelled against God and were then alienated from Him. As a result all human beings became guilty before God, subject to sin’s power, inclined toward disobedience to God’s moral law, and unable to please God apart from His saving grace.
Gen. 1:26-27, 3; Psalm 8; Jer. 17:9; Rom. 1:18-3:23; 5:12-21; Eph. 2:1-5
Salvation
Salvation is deliverance from alienation, guilt, bondage, and death, as well as restoration to fellowship, righteousness, freedom, and life for all who trust in Jesus Christ. It originates and is sustained by God’s sovereign and loving grace, is based on Christ’s saving work, is received by faith alone. Salvation is God’s free gift to us by His grace, but we must choose to accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penaltyÐdeath. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith, we are saved.
Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8-9; John 14:6; 1:12; Titus 3:5; Gal. 3:26; Rom. 5:1
The Church
We believe that the Church is the body of Christ, the community of all believers who are united to Christ and to one another by the Holy Spirit. The Church is called to worship God and to demonstrate His gracious character in the world by proclaiming the gospel, making disciples from all nations, observing baptism and the Lord’s Supper, maintaining the unity and purity of the body, and seeking to apply the truths of Scripture to the needs of people. We believe in the spiritual unity of all believers and deeply grieve over the division and disharmony in the Body of Christ. We seek to cooperate with all believers, regardless of denomination, to further the purposes of God in the earth.
Matt. 16:18; 28:18-20; John 17:20-26; 1 Cor. 11:23-26; Eph. 4:1-16
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
Christian baptism is in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience, symbolizing the believer’s faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old life, and his or her resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. The Lord’s Supper is an act of obedience whereby believers are a community commanded to remember with awe the wonder of the work he did for us at the cross as a demonstration of our receiving the cleansing atonement available through the broken body and spilled blood of Christ.
Matt. 28:19-20; 1Cor. 10:14-17; 11:23-26
The Last Things
We believe that Jesus Christ will personally return to earth in power and glory to judge all people. The righteous (made righteous through faith in Christ) will be eternally united with God in blessing and eternal life; the unrighteous will be eternally separated from God in punishment and eternal death. We believe that, while we don’t know the precise sequence of events or the exact timing in history, the second coming of Christ will be both personal and visible.
These truths serve to fill us with hope and motivate us to holy living, heartfelt worship, sacrificial service, diligent study of God’s Word, regular fellowship, and the sharing of the message of God’s grace with all humanity.
Matt. 13:39-42; 24:36-44; Luke 21:25-35; 1 Cor. 3:11-15; 1 Thess. 4:13-5:11; Rev. 19:11-16; 20:11-15; 21:1-5
Absolutes, Convictions and Preferences
It is not Hopesprings desire to bind the conscience of individual members in areas where the Bible is silent. Rather, each believer is to be led in those areas by the Lord, to whom he or she is ultimately responsible. All members shall refrain from advocating doctrines that are not included in the Statement of Faith in such a way as to cause dissension.
In essential beliefs - we have unity. (Eph. 4:4-6)
In non-essential beliefs - we have liberty. (Rom. 14: 1, 4, 12, 22)
In all our beliefs - we show charity. (1Cor. 13:2)
